Friday, July 29, 2011

Freedom Day: Playlist for July 29, 2011


"We're gonna walk we're gonna walk
Walk walk walk
Down Freedom Street"

Emancipation Day, commemorating the abolition of slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834, is being celebrated in Windsor this weekend. The celebration of Emancipation Day, a long-standing local tradition that lapsed in the wake of the Detroit riots, was revived in 2008, as you can read in the Windsor Star article from which the above photo was borrowed.

Joe Higgs & Karl Masters: Journey to Freedom -- Sounds & Pressure, Vol. 6 (Pressure Sounds 2008)
Burning Spear: Slavery Days -- Marcus Garvey/Garvey's Ghost (Island 1976)
Ghetto Priest: The Slave's Lament (live) -- I Murder Hate (Recorded live in Stirling UK March 14, 2009) Thanks to Exile On Moan Street!
Gregory Isaacs: Slave Market -- Soon Forward (Virgin 1979) Thanks to Rootstyle Reggae Roots!
Junior Delgado: Sons of Slaves -- Lee "Scratch" Perry & Friends: Open The Gate (Trojan 1989)
Earth, Roots, & Water: Liberation -- Innocent Youths (Light In The Attic 2008 1977)
Earth & Stone: Free Black Man -- Kool Roots (Pressure Sounds 1996)
Roy Richards: Freedom Blues -- Roy Richards (Studio One 1960s?)
Gregory Isaacs: Slavemaster -- Mr. Isaacs (Blood & Fire 2001)
Gregory Isaacs, feat. Dillinger: Take A Dip -- Mr. Isaacs (Blood & Fire 2001)
Augustus Pablo: Slave Master's Execution -- Jah Inspiration (Recall 2001)
Bob Marley & the Wailers: Slave Driver (live, 1973) -- Talkin' Blues (Tuff Gong 1991)
Culture: Too Long In Slavery -- The Front Line Box Set (Virgin 2001)
Skin, Flesh, & Bones Meets The Revolutionaries: Slavery Dub -- Fighting Dub 1975-79 (Hot Pot Records 2006)
Derrick Harriott: Slave (12" version) -- Riding The Roots Chariot: Derrick Harriot (Pressure Sounds 1998)
Toots & The Maytals: Redemption Song -- Pressure Drop: The Best Of Toots & The Maytals (Trojan 1997)
Mossman & Bunny: Freedom Version -- Message In The Dub (Dispensation Records 1999)
Willi Williams: Slave -- Messenger Man (Blood & Fire 2005)
Willi Williams: Slave Dub -- Messenger Man (Blood & Fire 2005)
Ken Boothe: Freedom Day -- Blood Brothers (Trojan 1978) Thanks to Filé Reggae Downloads!
Gregory Isaacs: Set The Captives Free -- Mr. Isaacs (Blood & Fire 2001)
Glen Brown: No More Slavery -- Check The Winner 1970-74 (Greensleeves 1989) Thanks to P.A. To Da Reggae!
Ishan People: I Shall Be Released -- Roots (GRT 1976)
Ken Boothe: Freedom Street -- Rock Steady: The Roots Of Reggae (Moll-Seleckta 2009)
Ghetto Priest: Strange Cargo -- Vulture Culture (On-U Sound 2003)
Youssou N'Dour: Redemption Song -- Dakar/Kingston (Emarcy 2011)
Playing For Change: Redemption Song -- Songs Around The World, Vol. 2 (Hear Music 2011)



Friday, July 22, 2011

There Is No King Size Dub Chapter 14: Playlist for July 22, 2011

Ian "Pho" Swain & Alanna Stuart are Bonjay. Originally from Ottawa, now located in Toronto, they make great music together. Check them out on MySpace.

U Roy: Wake The Town -- Tougher Than Tough: The Story Of Jamaican Music (Island 1994)
Future Pigeon: Fall Of The House Of Dub -- Golden State Of Dub (Shipwrecords 2000)
Dubmatix feat. Ammoye: Lock Down -- System Shakedown (7Arts Entertainment 2010)
Bonjay: Want A Gang -- Broughtupsy (Mysteries of Trade 2010)
3D Production: Riot -- Bristol Reggae Explosion 1978-83 (Bristol Archive 2011)
Soul Sugar feat. Carlton Livingston: Bar Tender (Dub) -- King Size Dub Vol. 15 (Echo Beach 2011)
The Senior Allstars: Bemsha Swing -- Come Around (Skycap 2008)
The Senior Allstars: Bemsha Dub -- In Dub (Skycap 2011)
Bim Sherman & the Dub Syndicate: Can't Stop Jumping --Discoplate Collection Part 2 (On-U Sound 1998)
Ruts DC: Accusation (Dreadzone Remix) -- Rhythm Collision Re>Loaded (Echo Beach 2009)
Beam Up feat. Cassawarrior: Rocker -- Terra Sonica (Beaming Productions 2010)
Jamaram: Carried Away (Dub) -- Jamaram In Dub (Echo Beach 2011)
Black Dub: Nomad -- Black Dub (Sony 2010)
Lee "Scratch" Perry: Roast Fish & Cornbread -- Arkology (Island 1997)
King Tubby: Crime Wave -- 100% Of Dub (Select Cuts 2003)
Chaka Demus & Pliers: When King Tubby Used To Play -- Real Authentic Reggae Vol. 2 (BBE Records 2009)
Up Bustle & Out: Silverfish (An Ocean's Dub Tale) -- King Size Dub Vol. 13 (Echo Beach 2010)
LV & Okmalumkoolkat: Boomslang (Hyperdub 2010)
Smoke: To Them -- Routes (Echo Beach 2009)
Augustus Pablo: No Entry -- Real Authentic Reggae Vol. 2 (BBE Records 2009)
New Age Steppers: Avante Gardening -- The New Age Steppers (On-U Sound 2011)
The Pioneers: Bus Them Shut -- Pusher Man (Squad Disco 1978) Thanks to You & Me On A Jamboree!
Hollie Cook: It's So Different Here -- Hollie Cook (Mr. Bongo 2011)
Brian Eno: Dow -- Drums Between The Bells (Warp 2011)
Tommy McCook & The Supersonics: Rema Skank -- Pleasure Dub (Pressure Sounds 2009)
Dub Colossus: Satta Massagana -- Addis Through The Looking Glass (Real World 2011)


Saturday, July 16, 2011

Drawn & Quartered: Playlist for July 15, 2011

The CD cover is actually shiny black letters
on a matte black background.
I couldn't see it in the record store.
Neither, at first, could the clerk.
None more black!

Monty Alexander: King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown (Live) -- Harlem-Kingston Express Live (Motema 2011)
Hollie Cook feat. Horseman: Cry (Disco Mix) -- Hollie Cook (Mr. Bongo 2011)
Count Alert w/ Lyn Taitt & The Baba Brooks Band: In The Park -- Trojan Calypso Box (Trojan 2002)
New Age Steppers: Izalize -- The New Age Steppers (On-U Sound 2011)
African Head Charge: Undulating -- Voodoo Of The Godsent (On-U Sound 2011)

Deadbeat: Drawn & Quartered (BLKRTZ 2011)
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter (The Vampire of Mumbai)
Fourth Quarter (Cala's House)
Plateau Quarter (Hope in Numbers)

The Silvertones: Rejoice Jah Jah Children -- Trojan Roots Box (Trojan 2002)
The Upsetters: Rejoicing Skank -- Dub Echoes (Soul Jazz 2009)
Jah Lion: Colombia Colly -- Colombia Colly (Island 1976) Thanks to Roots In Control!
Chief Checker: Ire Africa -- Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump (Strut 2008)
Toots & The Maytals feat. Bonnie Raitt: Premature -- Light Your Light (Concord Music 2007)
Dubxanne: Spirits In A Material World -- The Police In Dub (Echo Beach 2008)
Derek Allen: Spirits In The Material World -- DJA EP (Mad Decent 2011) Free download available here.


Friday, July 8, 2011

Day-O: Playlist for July 8, 2011


The New Age Steppers 1st LP, cover designed by Bill Bell.
On-U Sounds LP #1, released in 1981; re-released with four bonus tracks on CD in 2011.
30 years of beautiful post-punk reggae.

Ruts DC: Rhythm Collision (RSD aka Rob Smith Remix)-- King Size Dub Chap. 15 (Echo Beach 2011)
Edric Connor: Day Dah Light -- Songs From Jamaica (Saland 2008)
Deadbeat: First Quarter -- Drawn & Quartered (BLKRTZ 2011)
The Aggrolites: Complicated Girl -- Rugged Road (Stomp 2011)
Johnny Clarke: Do You Love Me? -- Real Authentic Reggae Vol. 2 (BBE Records 2009)
African Head Charge: Mysterious Happenings -- Voodoo Of The Godsent (On-U Sound 2011)
The Senior Allstars: Stage Rocker -- Red Leaf (Grover 2006)
The Senior Allstars: Stage Rockers Dub (Avatar Remix) -- In Dub (Skycap 2011)
The Process Meets Ghetto Priest: The Lion Of Judah Hath Prevailed (Congo Natty Well Toasted Mix) (Temple Gong 2011)
Louise Bennett: Day Dah Light -- Jamaican Folk Songs (Folkways 1954)
The Techniques: Day-O -- Run Come Celebrate: Their Greatest Reggae Hits (Rounder 1995)
Alkaline: Skull Dubbery -- ExtraLongLife (Universal 2000)
Jamaram: End Of the World Dub -- Jamaram In Dub (Echo Beach 2011)
New Age Steppers: Singing Love -- New Age Steppers (On-U Sound 2011)
Errol Dunkley: Black Cinderella -- Keep The Pressure Down (Prestige Elite 2004)
Augustus Pablo: Cinderella In Black -- Keep The Pressure Down (Prestige Elite 2004)
I Roy: Sound Education -- Don't Check Me With No Lightweight Stuff 1972-75 (Blood & Fire 1997)
Jimmy Radway & The Fe Me Time Allstars: The Best Big Youth Version -- Dub I (Pressure Sounds 2008)
Tack>>Head: Black Cinderella Version -- King Size Dub Chap. 15 (Echo Beach 2011)
Tappa Zukie: Black Cinderella -- Man Ah Warrior (Trojan 2003)
Smoke: Ken Saro Wiwa -- Routes (Echo Beach 2009)
Federico Aubele feat. Natalia Clavier: Ojala -- Berlin 13 (ESL 2011)
Slim Smith: Turning Point -- Real Authentic Reggae Vol. 1 (BBE Records 2008)
Dubmatix: Deep Dark Dub (TVS Remix) -- King Size Dub Chap. 15 (Echo Beach 2011)
Jolly Boys: Nightclubbing -- Great Expectation (Geejam 2010)
Harry Belafonte: Banana Boat Song (Day O) -- Calypso (RCA Victor 1956)


"Day-O," aka the "Banana Boat Song," aka "Day Dah Light" ruled tonight's show in honour of the chart successes of two songs, Jason Derulo's "Don't Wanna Go Home" and Lil Wayne's "Six Foot Seven Foot," both of which quote Harry Belafonte's own massive hit. Belafonte's LP Calypso was the first album to sell a million copies. So, basically, Jamaican music is the most popular music in the world. Or something like that.



SOUND EDUCATION: Lyrics by I-Roy (deciphered to the best of my ability -- please feel free to correct me in the comments!)
Hey!
From the college
Where you get your musical knowledge
As I would say, knowledge is power
As I shower down the shower on the hour
Each and every hour

Education ’appen to be the topic
And when I tell you this brothers & sisters it’s terrific
As I would say I don’t mean to play you no funny trick
But if you’re young or old
You gotta come on out and bring your walking stick

Hold there Bro’ B
Le’ we hear what Bro’ T have to say

Bro’ B: You want gun, I
Bro’ T: No, I! Gun too hot for I!
Bro’ B: Then what the man want then, I?
Bro’ T: Education for I and I!
Together: I!!

That’s what the brothers say
And you can hear them tell you each and every day

Literacy means a lot
So when you grow up you’ll be cream of the crop
Cos I-man will tell you this
Literacy is something no one in the world can resist

For the heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upwards through the night*

And when I tell you this is gonna be all right
For when I tell you baby I will say that’s out of sight
Hey!

Musical song’s called literacy
Learn as you earn
And I will tell it to you
And you will never regret
And when I tell you brothers and sisters
You can never fret

For literacy is the theme
And that’s exactly how it seems as I will tell it you
Baby you gotta make my scene
And baby You cannot be no jellybean
For literacy is the topic
And when I tell you this is really really really terrific

Hey!

As I would tell you ‘bout the sound’s called literacy
Shout it in the neighbourhood
So all the people can live good

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

So if you’re young or old
And I would say brothers and sisters
You got to have some soul
For in this land of nationhood
You gotta love one another and be very good

Literacy is the theme
And as I would tell you that’s exactly how it seem
And brothers and sisters
You can let your little light shine
Help one another writin’ down the line
As I would tell you musical sound that you can find

Literacy is the thing we need today
Brothers and sisters
Each and every day
As I would tell it to you ‘bout this
I will lead the way
Hey!

As I tell you literacy is what we need today
In this land of nationhood that’s what I say
So we can go on hand in hand
To help Jamaicans to build a better land
Hey!

Musical sound’s called Literacy, y’know
You gotta keep on coming through the door
As I will give you just a little little bit o’ more
* a quote from "The Ladder of Saint Augustine" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. These lines must have been drilled into every Jamaican schoolchild, because they appear in a large number of songs, from "The Great Wuga Wuga" by Sir Lord Comic to "The Heights of Great Men" by Beenie Man. Also: "My Mission is Impossible" by the Viceroys (aka "Nothing Is Impossible" by the Interns).

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Canada Calling: Playlist for July 1, 2011

A new kind of Canada Day special featuring a variety of reggae shout-outs to Canada and places Canadian. Almost every song on this playlist features at least one mention of Canada or a Canadian place name.
The two exceptions are a couple tracks from Windsor's own new-wave-reggae ex-wunderkinds Contradance. Their Black Preppies EP is kind of iconic round these parts, and here in Canusa we always knew exactly what they were singing about. So for example, when they sing "My girlfriend wears purple plaid skirts," we knew that meant she went to Assumption High School.
Guitarist/singer/songwriter Ken Montague is now a dentist, art curator, and DJ residing in Toronto.

The Sattalites: Canada Calling
from MySpace
Shabba Ranks: Trailer Load A Girls -- Steely & Clevie: Digital Revolution (Greensleeves 2011)
Cocoa Tea: I Am The Marshall -- The Marshall LP (Jammy's 1991)
Cutty Ranks: Stopper -- Dancehall 101 Vol. 3 (VP Records 2002)
Burning Spear: The Invasion/Black Wa-da-da -- The Best Of Burning Spear (Millennium Collection) (Island 2002)
Martyn: Vancouver -- Great Lengths (3024 Records 2009)
I Roy: Monkey Fashion -- Dubbing With The Royals (Pressure Sounds 2004)
The Melodians: Last Train To Expo 67 -- Rocksteady Soul: The Original Cool Sound Of Duke Reid's Treasure Isle (Metro 2001)
Brigadier Jerry: Dance In A Montreal (Studio One 1985) This track is found somewhere among the incredible and vast collection of Studio One singles downloadable here. Be warned: it's vast.
Systemwide: Reclame (Deadbeat's Montreal Winter Dub Remix) -- Impurely Replied: Systemwide Remixed (BSI 2003)
Trip The Off: Clark Street -- Street Music (Clark Street 2007)
Jackie Mittoo: Toronto Express -- Now (Bamboo 1970) Thanks to Jaaaaaah for this tasty slice of CanCon from the keyboard king.
Lillian Allen: Rub A Dub Style Inna Regent Park -- Revolutionary Tea Party (Verse To Vinyl 1998)
Snow: Informer -- 12" Of Snow (East West 1993)
Clifton Joseph: Scenes/Seen! -- Oral/Trans/Missions (Verse To Vinyl 1989)
Contradance: Black Preppies -- Black Preppies EP (Dancing Note 1982)
Contradance: Trouble In The Darkness -- Black Preppies EP (Dancing Note 1982)
Kojak: Nice Up Jamaica -- Trojan Jamaica Box Set (Trojan 2004)
Junior Reid: Original Foreign Mind -- Original Foreign Mind (Black Roots 1985) Thanks to P.A. to Da Reggae!
Bim Sherman: Slummy Ghetto -- Reggae Archive (On-U Sound 1994)
Peter Tosh: African -- Super Hits (Sony 2001)
Johnny Clarke: Moving On To Zion -- Trojan Roots Box Set (Trojan 2002)
Chet Singh: Dem Arrest -- Recessionary Revolutionaries (Ind. 2010)
Derrick Laro & Trinity: Don't Stop Till You Get Enough -- Hustle! Reggae Disco (Soul Jazz 2002)


The strangest Canadian shout out of them all in this week's episode comes courtesy of the mighty poet I Roy. In the course of Monkey Fashion (which includes a round-up of Jamaican place names), the name of one of our least Caribbean provinces is dropped purely for the love of rhyme and metre.

MONKEY FASHION – Lyrics by I Roy (deciphered to the best of my ability -- please feel free to correct me in the comments!)


Wow!

Some cats really deal with rival war

But I say man if you deal with war

You got to stay far

Cause if you deal with violence

You shall go down in silence

Be in abscondance all oh-over the fence

Tell you bout this kind a thing called self-defence

Really me (?) with no pretense

You gotta have some kinda patience y’know

And hear about this kinda thing called the monkey fashion


Monkey won’t do
I don’t know what to say the monkey won’t do

Don’t know what to say the monkey make me feel so blue

More power to this monkey must be some kinda baddy-boo


Went uptown monkey went up too

Went downtown monkey was down deh too

Standing on the corner

Monkey on the corner too

Try to light my cigarette

Monkey light him too

I tell you monkey man

Got to understand this sound’s from Saskatchewan

Kinda monkey in the jungle

Tell you the monkey got to really mungle

Hunnnh…


The monkey won’t do
I don’t know what to say the monkey won’t do


Went uptown monkey went up too

Went to Meadowbrook the monkey was there too.

Went to Jacks Hill monkey was there too.

Went to Beverly Hills the monkey was up there too.

Went to ‘arbour Heights y’know the monkey was down there too.


Say the monkey won’t do

Went to St. Jago de la Vega the monkey was there too.

People call it Spain Town y’know

Got to gather round don’t be no clown

Hunh!


Say the monkey won’t do

I don’t know what to say this monkey won’t

I don’t know what to say this monkey wasn’t capable of doin’

So baby come an’ try your thing before we get a-wooin’.


This kinda monkey dangerous a travellin round town

So brothers and sisters you got to be brown (?) and be no clown

Hear what the king of sound and blues a-puttin’ down

Some a them a Ras without the I

Some a them a try’n’ ‘rass I

Some a them a bad like Superfly

Some a them a really spy

Unnnhn


Music hit you got to get high, y’know?

The monkey man

I don’t know what to say the monkey won’t do

Oh look at that the monkey got the flu – unnh


Say the monkey won’t do

I don’t know what to say the monkey won’t do

I don’t know what to say the monkey won’t do


Went down to Seaside monkey come down there too.

Went to Portland yes the monkey was there too.

Went over Port Royal monkey was there too.

Went to Gunboat monkey was there too.

Went to Mo’Bay monkey was there to stay.


What to say the monkey

Scabadoobadoobadey unnh

Bebadoobambadey

Aloobadoombangdey

Bomp she bay henh


Don’t know what to say the monkey won’t do

As I would tell you

Come on down with me and swing along

As I would tell you

Play it on strong cause I could never go wrong

I tell you ‘bout this kinda monkey…